It was a charmingly eccentric setting for an intriguing comeback. Porchester Hall, hidden away in London's Bayswater, is not exactly a fashionable rock venue, but it had been decked out like some exotic film set for the Arabian Nights, with the stage surrounded by palm trees, rugs, arches and candles. The brief, clearly, had been to create a non-threatening Islamic setting, and the designers deserve a bonus. It was like entering a boutique hotel in Istanbul, but with only soft drinks allowed. On stage, discreetly tracked by a series of cameras (the event was being filmed), came the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, whose image shifted rapidly from the mildly bland and highly commercial to the wildly controversial once he converted to Islam, quit the music business and changed his name to Yusuf Islam.
Now, introduced simply as Yusuf, the man responsible for some 60m album sales in the 1970s was presenting his first full concert in nearly three decades. It was a challenge that he met with remarkable ease. He sported a large grey beard and glasses, but he still sounded like Cat Stevens as he perched on a series of stools and matched those fluid, easy-going vocals with acoustic guitar, while an incongruously burly band added discreet keyboards or brass.
He started out mixing lesser-known songs with pleasantly forgettable new pieces such as Midday, and it seemed at first that it would all be too safe and soporific. Then he began to change the mood. The old favourite Where Do the Children Play? was a reminder of his ability to match sturdy melodies with unexpected rhythm patterns, and was followed by a bleak tale of childhood slaughter, The Little Ones, dedicated to those who died in "Bosnia and Dunblane". Then he switched direction yet again, with the old blues standard How Long playfully mixed in with his own Peace Train, and a thoughtful treatment of Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, presented almost as a personal plea.
As for religion and politics, he announced that he didn't subscribe to theories about "a clash of civilisations". And, when forced to leave the stage because of a lighting problem, he announced "insha'allah we'll be back", before returning for a finale that included an unlikely new Zulu- influenced treatment of Wild World. Yusuf Islam was actually enjoying himself. All he needs is a few more strong new songs.
